Hexylitaconic acid: A new inhibitor of p53–HDM2 interaction isolated from a marine-derived fungus, Arthrinium sp.

A new inhibitor of p53–HDM2 interaction was isolated from a culture of marine-derived fungus, Arthrinium sp. The structure was identified to be (−)-hexylitaconic acid (1) by spectroscopic analysis. The inhibition of p53–HDM2 binding was tested by the ELISA method, and 1 inhibited the binding with an IC50 value of 50 μg/mL. Although a number of synthetic inhibitors of p53–HDM2 interaction have been reported so far, 1 is the second inhibitor isolated from natural resources.